Medical image photographing system and medical image photographing method

Abstract

A medical image photographing system includes: a medical image generating apparatus for photographing a patient to generate image data of the patient; an information management apparatus for generating photographing order information including patient identification information of the patient to be photographed and/or a photographing condition for the patient, the information management apparatus being allowed to transmit the generated photographing order information through a network to another apparatus; one or more control apparatuses that are connectable to the information management apparatus through the network to obtain the generated photographing order information; and one or more portable terminals that are connectable to at least one of the control apparatuses to obtain the photographing order information from the control apparatus connected thereto and display the obtained photographing order information.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A medical image photographing system comprising: 
 a medical image generating apparatus for photographing a patient to generate image data of the patient;    an information management apparatus for generating photographing order information including patient identification information of the patient to be photographed and/or a photographing condition for the patient, the information management apparatus being allowed to transmit the generated photographing order information through a network to another apparatus;    one or more control apparatuses that are connectable to the information management apparatus through the network to obtain the generated photographing order information; and    one or more portable terminals that are connectable to at least one of the control apparatuses to obtain the photographing order information from the control apparatus connected thereto and display the obtained photographing order information.    
     
     
         2 . The medical image photographing system of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of control apparatuses, 
 wherein each of the one or more portable terminals is connectable to all of the plurality of control apparatuses through the network.    
     
     
         3 . The medical image photographing system of  claim 2 , wherein the medical image generating apparatus uses an image recording panel whenever the patient is photographed; 
 the one or more portable terminals obtain recording panel identification information of each image recording panel, and store the photographing order information and the obtained recording panel identification information so as to set a correspondence of the photographing order information to the obtained recording panel identification information;    the one or more portable terminals transmits the stored photographing order information and the stored recording panel identification information to one of the plurality of control apparatuses;    the one of the plurality of control apparatuses transmits the photographing order information and the recording panel identification information received from the one or more portable terminals, to the information management apparatus; and    the information management apparatus stores the recording panel identification information so as to correspond to the photographing order information.    
     
     
         4 . The medical image photographing system of  claim 3 , further comprising an image information reading apparatus for reading out a photographing image from the image recording panel, 
 wherein the image information reading apparatus reads out the recording panel identification information of the image information recording panel, obtains relating information of the photographing order information, which includes a processing condition through the control apparatus, and reads out the image under the obtained processing condition.    
     
     
         5 . The medical image photographing system of  claim 2 , further comprising a plurality of portable terminals, 
 wherein the information management apparatus stores identification-information of a first portable terminal of the plurality portable terminals for reading out the photographing order information, so as to correspond to the read out photographing order information; and when the photographing order information is read out by the first portable terminal of the plurality of portable terminals and then a command for reading out the photographing order information is output from a second portable terminal which is different from the first portable terminal of the plurality of portable terminals, the second portable terminal of the plurality of portable terminals is notified that the photographing order information has been already read out on the basis of the stored information.    
     
     
         6 . The medical image photographing system of  claim 2 , further comprising a plurality of portable terminals, 
 wherein the photographing order information, transmitted from one of the plurality of control apparatuses to one of the plurality of portable terminals, is prohibited from being transmitted from the control apparatus to another portable terminal.    
     
     
         7 . The medical image photographing system of  claim 2 , wherein the photographing order information, transmitted from one of the plurality of control apparatuses to any one of the one or more portable terminals, is prohibited from being transmitted from another control apparatus to any one of the one or more portable terminals.  
     
     
         8 . The medical image photographing system of  claim 6 , wherein when each of the plurality of control apparatuses is instructed so that the photographing order information transmitted to any one of the plurality of portable terminals is transmitted to any one of the plurality of portable terminals again, the control apparatus warns that the photographing order information has been already transmitted.  
     
     
         9 . The medical image photographing system of  claim 6 , wherein after the photographing order information is transmitted from one of the plurality of control apparatuses to any one of the plurality of portable terminals, another control apparatus deletes the photographing order information.  
     
     
         10 . The medical image photographing system of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of control apparatuses, 
 wherein each of the one or more portable terminals is connectable to a specific control apparatus of the plurality of control apparatuses.    
     
     
         11 . The medical image photographing system of  claim 10 , wherein the medical image generating apparatus uses an image recording panel whenever the patient is photographed; 
 the one or more portable terminals obtain recording panel identification information of each image recording panel, and store the photographing order information and the obtained recording panel identification information so as to set a correspondence of the photographing order information to the obtained recording panel identification information;    the one or more portable terminals transmits the stored photographing order information and the stored recording panel identification information to the specific control apparatuses;    the specific control apparatus transmits the photographing order information and the recording panel identification information received from the one or more portable terminals, to the information management apparatus; and    the information management apparatus stores the recording panel identification information so as to correspond to the photographing order information.    
     
     
         12 . The medical image photographing system of  claim 11 , further comprising an image information reading apparatus for reading out a photographing image from the image recording panel, 
 wherein the image information reading apparatus reads out the recording panel identification information of the image information recording panel, obtains relating information of the photographing order information, which includes a processing condition through a control apparatus, and reads out the image under the obtained processing condition.    
     
     
         13 . The medical image photographing system of  claim 11 , wherein when the photographing order information corresponding to the panel identification information is transmitted to the specific control apparatus, each of the one or more portable terminals transmits the photographing order information while adding information indicating that the photograph is finished, to the photographing order information.  
     
     
         14 . The medical image photographing system of  claim 10 , wherein each of the one or more portable terminals collates input patient identification information with patient identification information including the photographing order information, and notifies a collation result.  
     
     
         15 . The medical image photographing system of  claim 10 , further comprising a plurality of portable terminals, 
 wherein the photographing order information, transmitted from one of the plurality of control apparatuses to one of the plurality of portable terminals, is prohibited from being transmitted to another portable terminal.    
     
     
         16 . The medical image photographing system of  claim 15 , wherein the photographing order information, transmitted from one of the plurality of control apparatuses to any one of the plurality of portable terminals, is prohibited from being transmitted from another control apparatus to any one of the plurality of portable terminals.  
     
     
         17 . The medical image photographing system of  claim 15 , wherein when each of the plurality of control apparatuses is instructed so that the photographing order information transmitted to any one of the plurality of portable terminals is selected to be transmitted to any one of the plurality of portable terminals again, the control apparatus warns that the photographing order information has been already transmitted.  
     
     
         18 . The medical image photographing system of  claim 15 , wherein after the photographing order information is transmitted from one of the plurality of control apparatuses to any one of the plurality of portable terminals, another control apparatus deletes the photographing order information.  
     
     
         19 . A medical image photographing method in a medical image photographing system comprising an information management apparatus, one or more control apparatuses and one or more portable terminals, comprising: 
 photographing a patient to generate image data of the patient;    generating photographing order information including patient identification information of the patient to be photographed and/or a photographing condition for the patient;    transmitting the generated photographing order information through a network to another apparatus;    obtaining the transmitted photographing order information by transmitting the transmitted photographing order information from the control apparatus to the portable terminal;    display the obtained photographing order information.    
     
     
         20 . The medical image photographing method of  claim 19 , wherein the medical image photographing system further comprises a plurality of control apparatuses, 
 wherein the medical image photographing method further comprises: 
 using an image recording panel whenever the patient is photographed;  
 obtaining recording panel identification information of each image recording panel;  
 storing the photographing order information and the obtained recording panel identification information so as to set a correspondence of the photographing order information to the obtained recording panel identification information;  
 transmitting the stored photographing order information and the stored recording panel identification information to one of the plurality of control apparatuses;  
 transmitting the photographing order information and the recording panel identification information received from the one or more portable terminals, to the information management apparatus; and  
 storing the recording panel identification information in the information management apparatus so as to correspond to the photographing order information.  
   
     
     
         21 . The medical image photographing method of  claim 20 , further comprising: 
 obtains relating information of the photographing order information, which includes a processing condition through the control apparatus, and    reading out the image under the obtained processing condition.    
     
     
         22 . The medical image photographing method of  claim 19 , wherein the medical image photographing system further comprises a plurality of portable terminals; and 
 wherein the medical image photographing method further comprises: 
 storing identification information of a first portable terminal of the plurality portable terminals for reading out the photographing order information, so as to correspond to the read out photographing order information;  
 wherein when the photographing order information is read out by the first portable terminal of the plurality of portable terminals and then a command for reading out the photographing order information is output from a second portable terminal which is different from the first portable terminal of the plurality of portable terminals, the second portable terminal of the plurality of portable terminals is notified that the photographing order information has been already read out on the basis of the stored information.  
   
     
     
         23 . The medical image photographing method of  claim 19 , wherein the medical image photographing system further comprises a plurality of portable terminals; and 
 wherein the photographing order information, transmitted from one of the plurality of control apparatuses to one of the plurality of portable terminals, is prohibited from being transmitted from the control apparatus to another portable terminal.    
     
     
         24 . The medical image photographing method of  claim 23 , further comprising: 
 prohibiting the photographing order information transmitted from one of the control apparatuses to any one of the one or more portable terminals, from being transmitted from another control apparatus to any one of the one or more portable terminals.    
     
     
         25 . The medical image photographing method of  claim 19 , wherein when each of the plurality of control apparatuses is instructed so that the photographing order information transmitted to any one of the plurality of portable terminals is transmitted to any one of the plurality of portable terminals again, the control apparatus warns that the photographing order information has been already transmitted.  
     
     
         26 . The medical image photographing method of  claim 19 , wherein after the photographing order information is transmitted from one of the control apparatuses to any one of the plurality of portable terminals, another control apparatus deletes the photographing order information.  
     
     
         27 . The medical image photographing method of  claim 20 , wherein when the photographing order information corresponding to the panel identification information is transmitted to a specific control apparatus, each of the one or more portable terminals transmits the photographing order information while adding information indicating that the photograph is finished, to the photographing order information.  
     
     
         28 . The medical image photographing method of  claim 19 , further comprising: 
 inputting patient identification information to the portable terminal;    collating input patient identification information with patient identification information including the photographing order information; and    notifying a collation result.